Mourdock's survival plan

INDIANAPOLIS — When he rode a tea party wave to victory over Sen. Dick Lugar, Republican Richard Mourdock called his bid a “revolt” against an “out of touch” Washington establishment that had become poisoned by the waters of the Potomac.

But in his darkest hour as a candidate, Mourdock now needs the party establishment more than ever.

Story Continued Below

As he reels from the firestorm created by his comments on rape and pregnancy, he’s still relying on the support from the top political figures, big-spending committees and money men of the Republican Party to carry him into the Senate.

Mitt Romney’s coattails are crucial to Mourdock, who is the only Senate candidate in the country benefiting from a TV ad starring the GOP nominee. Mitch McConnell has raised big bucks for him. Chris Christie, John McCain and scores of Senate Republicans have lent Mourdock help on the stump — and they don’t appear to be abandoning him despite his controversial remarks that God intended that pregnancies resulting from rape should happen.

All told, the National Republican Senatorial Committee — which backed Lugar in the GOP primary— will spend $5 million boosting Mourdock. Crossroads GPS, the secret-money group co-founded by Karl Rove, is expected to drop an additional $4 million into the race.

It’s no secret why Mourdock and Republican leaders have taken this tack: It’s all part of a deliberate effort to nationalize the race and make it squarely about growing GOP strength in Washington — rather than simply a choice between Mourdock and Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly.

And while some Republicans distanced themselves from Mourdock’s comments and as tensions still linger with Lugar, who has been absent from the campaign trail, Mourdock can use all the support he can get from the rest of the Washington GOP to convince middle-of-the-road Republicans that he’s not the extreme ideologue Democrats are making him out to be.

In an interview with POLITICO, Mourdock said his race — which could determine the Senate majority — was too important for his party to abandon in the aftermath of his comments on rape and pregnancies that rocked the political world this week. And he stressed that he’s not an uncompromising right-winger, but a “team player” in the mold of mainstream thinking of the party.

“I’ve been elected four times as a Republican, I’ve never had tea party next to my name,” said Mourdock, 61, who is the state treasurer. “I was a Republican before there was a tea party.”

Asked if his views aligned with those of Rep. Todd Akin, the Missouri Senate candidate whose “legitimate rape” comments caused the GOP to abandon his bid, Mourdock distanced himself from Akin and joined much of his party in repudiating the statements.

“His statement was ill-informed, wrong and just technically an error,” Mourdock said, referring to Akin’s comments that female rape victims rarely get pregnant because their bodies shut down. “Obviously, it was a statement that was just totally incorrect.”

The Indiana Senate race was already a tight affair before Mourdock’s remarks at a Tuesday night debate. Mourdock later stood by his remarks but apologized only if people misconstrued them, citing his deep religious faith for opposing abortion in cases of rape.